Headline: HoN Tour Cycle 2 Awards sees fresh stars
Despite the team-oriented approach of Heroes of Newerth, the game rises and falls with individual performances, standout superstars giving it their all on the battlefield and inside their team. This season, HoN Tour honors those stars every cycle in the manner they deserve, shining the spotlight on Most Valuable Players, the greatest games played, heroes that made the crowd go wild, as well as recognizing growth in someone as the season progresses. As the second cycle of the fourth HoN Tour season has come to a close, the polls opened up - and the results are now in.
Gladiator
It’s not always just the players and teams making the game entertaining, sometimes it’s just the taste and viewing pleasure of an underutilized hero, or just a hero that creates excitement and big plays. This cycle four of those outstanding warriors have been drafted to play on the HoN Tour battlefields, but only the truest Gladiator could entertain the crowd.
Being brought into the Coliseum by Revolution and compLexity Gaming, the hero was not only an entertaining factor in the games, but also a winning factor in some of them. Especially Revolution embraced the Call to Arms and rode the chariot all the way to victory over BMG in the Group Stage. The Gladiator trainer, pexu, even earned a mention in the Best Game Performances with his Pitfalls and Showdowns, but ended up earning too little thumbs up to take home that award. Gladiator though impressed the crowd and was voted most entertaining, even in front of Tempest, Nighthound and Scout. Tempest might not take the loss too hard, as he will see more action and a chance to be in the spotlight, while the other two defeated heroes might just go invisible to the competitive scene again.
1.Gladiator
2. Tempest
3. Scout
4. Nighthound
Fuzzysloth
So far these awards have been the “Fresh show”, but that is about to change. Walking away with the Best Game Performance of the second cycle is none other than compLexity Gaming midlaner Fuzzysloth. Known for his Magmus play in the difficult and impactful midlane, the young player from the American organization put on a show. Not only his finishing stat line of 10/2/18 with over 550 GPM impressed the judges and the community, it was also the stage on which he played this outstanding game. It wasn’t just a normal Group Stage game with stakes relatively high, it happened in one of the most critical stages of coL’s run in the bracket stage. 1-1 against Evil Corporation in the Lower Bracket Semis, the deciding map, a deciding Magmus pick - the rest is history.
With the stakes this high, Fuzzysloth outperformed even players like like Imbaboy, pexu, ICELANDGOGO, sQery and Mathias`` for the honor of getting the award for Best Game Performance of the second HoN Tour cycle.
1.Fuzzysloth - Magmus - 10/2/18 with 554.8 GPM against ECx
2.Imbaboy - Sandwraith - 21/3/15 with 610 GPM against BMG
3. pexu - Gladiator - 4/2/21 with 400 GPM against BMG
4. ICELANDGOGO - Tempest - 3/1/20 with 450.9 GPM against ex-Sync
5. sQery - Nighthound - 10/1/10 with 589 GPM against BMG
6. Mathias`` - Wretched Hag - 13/0/6 with 596.1 GPM against coL
ICELANDGOGO
Another trophy, another win for the Fresh team. As a team they dominated the cycle, running through the Group Stage, Upper Bracket and straight to a title. So the love for the team and the individuals on that team was obvious. It was almost as obvious as the improvement each and every player from the team went through to make the dream come true to clinch a Diamond Cycle. With that in mind, the results are not nearly as surprising as they look. All podium spots go to Fresh stars, the two top spots to players that are usually not so much in the spotlight. Being on a team with stars like Xibbe, Haxxeren and probusk, the other two are often forgotten and overshadowed. In victory they are often overlooked, the same goes for defeats. Now they have their moment in the spotlight, not only hoisting the Diamond title, but also taking the two top spots in the Most Improved Player category. Winning this one is ICELANDGOGO, closely followed by his teammate cerenia. Both have had a great couple of months with the team, from their first LAN event at DreamHack Summer to being integral parts of the success of their team now. They went from obscurity to known entities in the scene, being a cornerstone of the team they are on. Soon, who knows, they might upgrade from Most Improved to Most Valuable - completing the circle!
ICELANDGOGO
cerenia
probusk
Nir
What_You_Got
Mint vs Sync Game 1, Group Stage Day 6
It was a sign of things to come. The last day of the Group Stages, the first game between ex-Sync and Fresh. At that point no one could have known that it will also be the pairing for the Grand Finals of the second cycle. Another thing no one could have seen coming - the magnitude of this match. At the point, ex-Sync and Fresh were already safe and secured in the Top 4, having clinched a postseason berth already. For iNsania and his boys it was even the last game of the Group Stage, an Group Stage they thought to have won already. What happened then was the starting point of a great run of Fresh, playing three Bo2 games on the sixth and final day of the Group Stage, resulting in nine points and the #1 overall seed heading into the playoffs.
It all started in this one game, this one match that gave them such momentum to carry on with their day and destroy Sauna eSports and compLexity Gaming after trouncing ex-Sync eSports. Midas, Predator, Parasite, Moraxus and Soulreaper starred in this match, starting off slowly but then dismantling Ravenor, Opehlia, Magmus, Rhapsody and Pebbles in the mid and early game. What started off a bit slow snowballed into a slugfest with a final scoreline of 37-22 after 53 minute bout ending in a knockout at the claws of Predator ripping through everyone.
1.Mint vs. ex-Sync Game 1 of Groups Day 6
2.coL vs. KNX Game 2 of Groups Day 3
3.coL vs. ex-Sync Game 2 of Groups Day 4
4.ex-Sync vs. BMG Game 2 of Groups Day 2
Probusk
Coming off a win in the second cycle of the new HoN Tour season, Fresh star probusk has elevated his status in the scene to new heights. The talented youngster has been around the block and in the Diamond division for years, flirting with the upper echelon of the competitive pinnacle in Heroes of Newerth. Now he has finally reached the peak of the mountain, cementing his legacy in the game. One of the original stars from the old age, one of the few that are left, one of the chosen ones that have stuck around and battled through adversary only to come out on top - eventually. With stiff competition in his own team and the other Top 3 teams, probusk’s way to the MVP trophy this cycle was no cake walk. His teammate and carry player Haxxeren, as well as compLexity Gaming’s midlaner Fuzzysloth and ex-Sync’s jungler Zlapped gave him a run for his money, ultimately putting his fate in the hands of the fans. The community was the swing vote in this race to the top, giving probusk the slight lead over Fuzzysloth. In the tight race for the last podium spot, Zlapped edged out Danish star Haxxeren by the slightest of margins, securing himself the third place in the MVP race of a memorable cycle.
1. Prosbusk
2. Fuzzysloth
3. Zlapped
4. Haxxeren
